Journey to the Heart:Shake it Up/Do What it Takes to Listen

‘“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.” – Dave Barry

There are times when I just want to think.

 I don't want my mind cluttered. 
I don't want to worry about others...
I just want to think.

Yesterday was a day like that. I woke up with a Heart filled with anxiety and fear. Instead of seeing the bright side of everything I was only seeing the negative. From the clothes hanging in my closet (I have NOTHING to wear/I look fat in EVERYTHING) to my hair (I threatened to cut it all off....LOL) I was a big, ugly ball of negativity. 

One of my first mixed-media pieces. I create so differently now!

As I continued to spew pessimistic sarcasm throughout our home I suddenly stopped. What the HECK was I doing?? 

I went to the kitchen, made myself a healthy lunch and sat at the table. As I looked around at our clutter I could feel my heart tighten...I knew what I needed to do...

This may sound crazy to you but when I am so over the top unwilling to even crack a smile I know what I NEED...I need to put some of my favorite tunes on and CLEAN!

Yep!

Clean!

There are few things more rewarding to me than an orderly,  fresh-smelling home. And while I am sweeping, mopping and putting things away I am thinking. I am submersing myself and connecting to my Heart. It's one of the few times in my week when I don't check my phone, stop by the computer, sit down to watch a favorite show. 

I just clean.

And think.

I have had some of my best ideas while scrubbing the toilet!

What My Heart Told Me

During my Scrub Fest I heard my Heart tell me I need to bust out of a rut. It is the New Year after all and I have Big Dreams to Dream, goals to reach, blog posts to write! I thought about what NEW Challenges I have started and what practices I want to keep in 2016. There are quite a few...maybe almost too many...and yet this is the year I want Grow and CONNECT to people, to my art, to my body...to my Big Dreams. 

Today's Challenge

This weekend take a few hours to break out of your rut. Try something NEW...Find something NEW! Sometimes it's just fun to Google a new art technique or head over to YouTube and watch a few videos. Here are MY NEW Challenges for 2016...I am so excited to try them all!!

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

Here is what I am working on for their January Challenge...Time Flies.

His Kingdom Come
I have been a member of this faith-based group for a year but never participated in their challenges. My intention this year is to complete each monthly challenge and post on their site. Shonna is a wonderful leader! If you want to enrich your relationship with God I encourage you to check this out!

52 Card Pick Up
My cousin actually told me about this and I loved it! A fun and very easy challenge creating ATC's (I am using index cards) with their weekly prompts. Here is mine from last week...

I have ALWAYS loved lists so it's a natural for me to participate in the Reset Girl's Lister's Gotta List Challenge!!   Cori even has FREE downloads that fit perfectly in your planner or in an art journal. I am using a small journal for my lists...all I need is a pen or marker and I am good! Super simple and VERY do-able!!!

Girls, the bottom line is this...if your Heart is telling you to be creative...then BE CREATIVE. I found mixed-media art 8 years ago...and even thought I DID create...it wasn't much when I look back. I thought about it, I made plans to do it...but I always put something ahead of MY TIME. In the past 2 years I rarely make excuses for my art time...I just DO IT! And this year I am SUPER EXCITED about these challenges...they will hold me accountable to my ART! When we create we become more creative...it's TRUE!!

So take time...find a new challenge to shake it up a bit. Listen to your Heart...scrub a toilet...do whatever it takes to HEAR those Heart Whispers. It will be so worth it!

Week 4-Lesson 1: What's Your Word?

“The chief beauty about time
is that you cannot waste it in advance.
The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you,
as perfect, as unspoiled,
as if you had never wasted or misapplied
a single moment in all your life.
You can turn over a new leaf every hour
if you choose.” 
― Arnold Bennett

I absolutely LOVE new beginnings. Mondays, the start of a new month...there is something about a FRESH start that fires me up. And this Friday is the beginning of a whole new YEAR! And not just any year, mind you. 

I

turn

FIFTY

in

2016!!

So I MUST do something BIG, right? Follow my Heart! Reach my Goals! Live like there is no tomorrow!

For the past ten years or so I have chosen ONE WORD to act as my Guide throughout the year...a compass to keep me on track and remind me of where I want to go. Some of my past have Words have been...

Possibilities

Reinvent

Story

True

Move

My Word last year was COMMIT. My intention with that Word was to actually STAY committed to my weight loss goals, art goals and house goals. What ended up happening was unexpected but in the very best way possible!! Even though my weight is still on (ugh, I have gained, too) and my house isn't anywhere NEAR organized (although I DID clear out quite a bit) and I never got around to sending in that album I created for Somerset Studios (THIS YEAR!) what I DID Commit to and STICK with was finding the very best place for my girl. Anasazi proved to be the guiding force in our life that has healed us and made us whole again. My girl has PEACE in her Heart and plans for an outstanding future!!

My Word for 2016

This year I thought long and hard about my Word and was CERTAIN I had it picked out! The Word JOY kept coming up...actually it has come up throughout 2015 and has become my secondary Word this year!! I have tried to implement JOY in my Heart daily (not always succeeding!) so I thought I would just extend JOY into 2016. 

But

then

as 

ALWAYS

happens...

I decided to brainstorm Word ideas cause the more I thought about JOY the more I wanted to be SURE. I take this One Word thing VERY seriously! So I created a list of Words...

Consistent

Heart

Receive (I ALMOST chose this one)

Joy

Alive

Connected

Awake

Present

Open

Perservere

And then it HIT me!!

What do I want this year?

More friendships

Closer to my husband

Really listening to my Heart when it comes to my Art

Closer to my Mama

More writing

Etc....

I want CONNECTIONS...

to my Heart

my Art

Friends

Dave

Mama

My Word for 2016 is 

CONNECT

I have let that sit with me for a week now and the more I think about it the more excited I get!!

YOUR Challenge this week

If you haven't all ready...take out your journals and start listing Words that resonate with you. Think about what you want MORE of. Go back to your collages from a few weeks ago and LOOK at what you gathered on your page...here was mine again...

By the end of the week try to have your 2016 Word picked out and ready to create with!! 

And remember to join me here Thursday for our second Challenge of the week. 

Thanks for being here girls!!!